WHALING VOYAGE. 
299 
led us ; and many of us, from various circumstances, 
doubted his information altogether; and as we were 
rowing along the borders of the surf, which was rolling 
on the shore,— -now indulging in the loud laugh, and 
now listening to the vehement assertions of the mate in 
vindication of his conduct, — we were suddenly impelled 
into the surf, which we were rowing too near. In a 
moment we found ourselves on the top of its foaming 
crest; and, as we were “broadside on,” we escaped 
being dashed to pieces in a most miraculous manner by 
a fortunate twirl of the boat and the excessive exertions 
of the rowers, who were strong enough to force the boat 
against the next roller as it came running upon us, — -but 
we suffered nothing except a good ducking from the 
spray, which flew over and half- filled one of the boats. 
This affair sobered our merriment for some time ; and 
such is the elasticity of good-humour which pervades 
sailors, that they appeared to have forgotten the event 
altogether long before we arrived near the ship. 
But we had not yet surmounted all the dangers and 
disagreeables fated to pertain to this trip, for after we 
had “ made out ” the ship for some time in the distance, 
and had approached within four miles of her, the sun 
began to dip into the horizon, and darkness came on 
with great rapidity, and above all, a storm suddenly 
arose, accompanied with vivid lightning, and torrents of 
rain fell in such quantities as to render a view of any 
object a quarter of a mile off impossible. The wind 
blew with such violence, that had it not been most for- 
tunately fair for us we must have run before it in our 
